Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward takes the field before the game against the Los Angeles Rams. Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Titans Need to Let Cam Ward Loose

Originally posted on Tennessee Titans on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Sep 16, 2025 1:00 PM ET

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward is only two games into his NFL career, but the team doesn't have much to lose with him getting more advanced in the game plan.

Titans head coach Brian Callahan explained the patience with Ward and their plan with how to make him more complex in his strategies.

"We keep getting stuck on the fringe. We've had some sacks there, some backward plays, just haven't gotten enough cracks at it. I don't think so," Callahan said.

"We're also being mindful that the two fronts that we've just played were trying to keep some semblance of protection there. And if you drop back every play against those fronts, that's going to make a for a long day. It's hard enough as it is already. So I would say, no, probably not at the moment. But as he keeps getting more comfortable and we keep learning to protect better we can keep trying to push the envelope."

Ward wants more responsibility, but he trusts Callahan's plans to make him better over the course of the season.

"Well, I think I'm capable of a lot. Coach (Brian) Callahan, he's gave me a lot of authority. So, I want more of it. And that's the relationship that me and him are just building every day," Ward said.

"He's already called two games for me. I want him to call a lot more games for me. He's one of the coaches who's going to do his best for his players, get his players in the right situation, in the run game, pass game, and we just continue to grow. I think that's biggest thing."

Callahan is a quarterback coach by trade, so he specializes in developing players like Ward. The hope is that he can turn him into a franchise guy.

While players have shown flashes quicker than Ward and have enjoyed more success, their situation isn't identical to what the Titans are currently dealing with. The Titans are rebuilding and that limits the amount of potential they are able to have.

If Ward continues to make things more challenging for Callahan, it could lead to regression, but the Titans need to crank up the difficulty and open the playbook each week because that is the only way the No. 1 overall pick is going to grow.

This article first appeared on Tennessee Titans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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